Bulkhead Workshop › Land Rover models › Land Rover Series III 2.25 petrol › Workshop guide › Steering box, relay & joints check

Land Rover Series III 2.25 petrol: steering box, relay & joints check

Steering · Series III (1971–85) · 1971–1985

How often: every 6,000 mi or year, whichever comes first. Play in a Series steering system adds up fast: box, relay, drag link and track rod ends together make it wander.

Work safely: support the vehicle on axle stands, never a jack alone; let it cool first. Check figures against your workshop manual. You do this work at your own risk.

Parts

• Steering box / relay oil (90W or 85W-90 GL-4 in steering box and relay, as needed)
• Track rod / drag link ends (if worn)

Tools

• Spanners
• Helper

Step by step

1. Check the steering box oil level (filler plug on top of the box) and top up.
2. Check the relay: on oil-filled relays top up through the plug under the bonnet in the front panel.
3. With a helper rocking the steering wheel, watch each joint in turn: box output, relay, drag link ends, track rod ends. Any visible lost motion is wear.
4. Check swivel pin preload: disconnect the track rod and check the effort to turn the swivel. Adjust with shims under the top swivel pin.

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